Combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser



R. MAYER Oct, 27, 1942.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER Filed Ma 5,. 1941 INVENTOR RICHARD MAYER UZw ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED" STATE I wa s PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER Richard Mayer, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor to Masterbilt Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application, May 5, 1941, SerialNo 391,941

10 Claims. (01. 312 -86) 3 lighting and dispensing the cigarettes successively one by one, which is economical and entirely safe in electrical consumption, and which is efiicient and satisfactory in the performance of its intended functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims. i

, In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a reduced perspective view of a combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure with the cover removed and the lighting-element and dispensing-tray in retracted, housed, or normal position;

Figure 3 is also a plan view with the cover removed, but with the lighting-element and dispensing-tray inprojected, cigarette lighting and dispensing, or so-called abnormaI position;

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse or vertical sectional views on the lines 44 and 5-5, Figures 2 and 3, respectively; and

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 6-6 and T----'!, respectively, Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of o my invention, the structure includes a preferably metallic boxshaped shell or housing A of suitable dimensions and preferably of oblongrrectangular contour in plan view, shell A comprising a rear wall I, opposite side walls 2, 2', marginally contoured and obliquely cut away, as at a, at their lower corners, as best seen in Figure 1, a front wall 3, and a bot-- tom wall 4 obliquely sloping forwardly and downwardly from rear wall I and formed at its forward margin with an extension 5 presented obliquely forwardly and upwardly in registration with the oblique corners a of said walls 2, 2'.

It maybe here stated that the degree of inclination of bottom wall 4 is such as to freely efiect forward and downward rolling movement of the housed cigarettes C, and the bottom wall extension 5 and front wall 3 are of such relative dimen-, sions as to provide a space, as at b, therebetween of sufficient width to freely permit the housed cigarettes C to one by one, pass outwardly therethrough. A

Asuitable top wall or lid B ishinged, as at 6?,

to and at the upper margin of side walls 2, 2', for swingable closure of shell A, and the shell side walls 2, 2, are outwardly recessed in the provision of oppositely disposed inwardly opening ways, as,

at l-1, which extend obliquely forwardly and downwardly in substantial parallelism bottom wall 4.

Suitably connected or conjoined, as at d, to,

and fiatwise disposed approximately in the hori zontal plane of the top margin of, the one side wall 2", is a wall or partition 3, and right-angularly depending from the inner margin of wall 8, is a wall or partition 9, which at its lower margin is spaced slightly upwardly from the plane ofgand substantially parallel with, the downwardly and forwardly sloping ways I, the angular walls or partitions 89 providing a chamber, as at It], within the shell A for normally substantially housing the lighting means D and theupright;

wall 9 being preferably, for purposes presently appearing, cut away at its lower forward corner,

as at e. u

Reciprocatorily shiftable within and relatively to the shell A, is a tray E comprising an upright back wall H, a bottom wall l2 projectingforwardly and obliquely downwardly from wall II in aligning registration with the Ways 1 and par-l allelism with the shell bottom wall 4, oppositely disposed pairs of tongues l3, l3, projecting outwardly from the opposite side margins of wall 2 for fitting and working in the ways I for movably or shiftably supporting theftray E with respect to shell A, anda frontwall including portions or lips I4 projecting upwardly from, and at the forward margin of, the wall l2, the wall-portions 14 having a height substantially equal to the height of the space or shell mouth I and the wall 12 having such width that, when the tray E is in normal or retracted position, the rear traywall II will approximately flatwise abut therear;

shell-wall l and front wall portions M will fit within and partially close the shell-mouth b,-as best seen in Figure2.

The front wall portions l4 arespaced centrally 1' of the bottom wall l2, and intermediate the wall with the portions M, the tray-wall I2 is cut away or recessed, as at f. Adjacent the margin of recess the wall 12 is punched and upset, as at g, g, and thereby provided with preferably integral downwardly presented spaced ears [5, l5, pivotally connected with which is a finger-grip F having the shape and contour best seen in Figures 2 and for fitting the recess f and between the wallportions or lips [4 for completing the front wall of tray E and the closure of the shell-mouth b when the tray E is in retracted or normal position, as in Figure 2, and to freely or swingably depend from the ears l5 when the tray E is in outwardly-pulled or projected position, as in Figure 5.

Fixed at their rear end only, as at It, to and upon the inner face of the shell rear wall I and freely or springwise projecting forwardly and obliquely downwardly within the shell A slightly below the tray-wall l2, are suitable yielding members or strips G bent or deformed adjacent their freeien'd, as at [7, for co-op'eration with detents I8,- p'unched, as at h, and presented downwardly from the tray-wall l2,-as best seen in Figures 4 and 5.

' Forwarolly of the punched openings h, the tray-wall I2 is cut away or apertured, as at i, for accommodating the free end. portions of the strips G when the tray E is in projected position, as shown in Figure 5 and for purposes presently appearing.

Within the confines of the chamber It the tray-wall i2 is suitably provided or formed with an upstanding ear l9. Suitably attached and electrically connected at one end to the'ear I9, is a yielding conducting strip 20 forming part of the lighting means D and which at its forward end has electrical connection with one side of a suitable lighting element 21, the strip 2!! having such length and being shaped or bent, as at adjacent its forward end to normally, that is to say, when the tray E is retracted, shiftably or yieldinglly present the element 2% in the cut-out e in the chamber-wall 9, as best seen in Figure 2.

7 Also forming part of the lighting means D and having electrical connection with the other side of the element 2!, is a conducting strip 22, which is-preferably fixed to and registers with, but is insulated from, the strip 23, and which at a suitable location within its length carries a coneshaped or beveled contact-button 23 for shifting engagement, when the tray E is shifted or projected forwardly, with a rigid post 24 fixed in and upstanding from the shell bottom wall 4 and adapted for electrical connection as by means of a conductor 25 with a battery or other source of current supply, not shown, for both closing the circuit to and energizing the element 2! and yieldingly shifting the same laterally into lighting engagement with an end of the particular cigarette c presented in and by the projected tray E.

Accordingly, in use and operation, the shell A may be very conveniently attached and mounted, as by means of a suitable bracket H, upon the steering post or column of the automobile, when the strip 20 will be suitably grounded on the automobile, as will be well understood.

The cigarettes C to be dispensed are disposed in a suitable quantity upon the tray E and within the shell A, the tray E being in normal or retracted position, as in Figures 2-and 4, and the tray front wall portion [4 and intermediate finger-grip F providing a complete closure for the shell mouth I). And when the tray E is in such normal or retracted-position,- the lighting element 2| is presented in the wall-opening c with the circuit broken, button 23 being out of electrical engagement with the post 24, as shown in Figure 2.

Now, to obtain a housed cigarette C, the tray E is pulled or projected forwardly through finger engagement with the grip F and the tray E thereby pulled forwardly into projected position or into the position thereof shown in Figures 3 and 5. The tray E thus forms, in substance, a movable bottom wall for the shell A, and in such movement of the tray E, the one cigarette c, the mouth b being opened on such movement of the tray E, moves with the tray E forwardly out of the shell A and in accessible position for convenient gripping in the space or recess 1 now provided as the grip F is released and swings to the depending position thereof shown in Figure 5.

In such movement of the tray E, the lighting means D is also pulled forwardly and button 23 engaged with the post 24. Under such engagement, the circuit to the lighting element 2| is closed and element 2[ energized and, at the same time, through the cam connection between button 23 and post 24, the lighting element 2| is yieldingly shifted laterally and into lighting engagement with the contiguous end of the cigarette 0 so presented in the tray E.

Further, in such movement, the detents I8 are shifted into the depressions I I of the strips G and the free ends of the strips G then presented upwardly into the shell A through the openings i provided for the purpose and the remaining cigarettes C prevented from moving outwardly through the now open mouth I).

The one cigarette 0 having been thus lighted and removed from the tray E, the tray E is returned to normal or retracted position. In such returning movement, the finger-grip F assumes its normal mouth-closing position in association with the lips or front-wall-portions I4, button 23 is shifted out of engagement with the post 24, the circuit to the element 2| being broken and element 2| tie-energized, and the lighting means D yieldingly returned to normal housed position within the chamber Hl. Further, in such returning movement of the tray E, the detents l8 engage with the strips G and thereby yieldingly shift the free ends thereof out of the openings 1' so as to permit free rolling movement of the cigarettes C with respect to the tray E for subsequent successive removal one by one from the shell A, it being, of course, understood that the shiftable movements of the tray E are limited by engagement of the tongues l3 with the opposite ends of the ways I.

Preferably the tray-wall l 2 is punched and upset, as at 26, 26, adjacent the front wall portions I4 for smoothly engaging the cylindrical cigarette c, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5.

The structure fulfills in every respect the objects stated, and it is to be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the structure may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell having a front wall, a rear wall,.

and opposite side walls, the front Wall having a mouth-opening and the side walls'being outwardly recessed and thereby provided with narallel ways sloping downwardly to said opening,

and means including a tray adapted for reciprocation relatively to the shell for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively one by one through said mouth-opening, said tray' having tongues working in said Ways and comprising a bottom wall normally underlying and providing a longitudinally movable support for the cigarettes contained within the shell, said tray bottom wall shifting under and relatively to the contained cigarettes in and during tray reciprocations relatively to the shell.

2. A cigarette container and dispensercomprising a shell having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, the latter having registering ways sloping downwardly toward thefront wall and the front wall having a mouth-opening, and means including a tray adapted for reciprocation relatively to the shell for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said mouth-opening, the tray comprising a bottom wall normallyunderlying and providing a longitudinally movable support for the cigarettes contained within the shell and provided with a rigid upstanding front wall portion disposed in flushwise registration with the shell front wall when the tray is in normal retracted position, said tray bottom wall shifting under and relatively to the contained cigarettes in and during tray reciprocations relatively to the shell.

3. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, the front wall having a mouth-opening, and means including a tray adapted for reciprocation relatively to, the shell for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said mouth-opening, the tray comprising a bottom wall normally underlying the cigarettes contained within the shell and rigid lips upstanding from the front margin of said bottom wall and disposed in flushwise registration with the shell front wall for partially closing said mouth-opening when the tray is in retracted position.

4. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell having a front wall, a rear Wall and opposite side walls, the front wall having a mouth-opening, means including a tray having connection with the shell for reciprocation for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said mouth-opening, the tray comprising a bottom wall normally underlying the cigarettes contained within the shell and spaced rigid lips upstanding from the front margin of said bottom wall and disposed in flushwise registration with the shell front wall for partially closing said opening when the tray is in retracted position, and a finger-grip hinged on the tray for movement intermediate the lips for completing the closure of said opening when the tray is in retracted position and providing a space for convenient finger engagement with a dispensed cigarette when the tray is in forwardly projected position.

5. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, the front wall having a mouth-opening, a cigarette dispensing tray having connection with the shell for reciprocation through said opening, members on the tray for closure of said opening when the tray is in normal I retracted position, the tray including an apertured bottom wall, and yielding members fixed on the shell for yielding movement partially into and through said apertures for preventing removal of contained cigarettes through said opening'when the tray is in forwardly projected position. i

6. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, the front wall-having a mouth-opening, a cigarette dispensing tray having connection with the shell for reciprocation through said opening, members on the tray for closure of said opening when the tray is in normalretracted position, the tray including an apertured bottom wall, yielding strips fixed at an end to and upon the shell for yielding movement of their respective free ends into and through said apertures for preventing removal of contained cigarettes through said opening when-the tray is in forwardly projected position, and detents on the tray for depressing the free ends of said strips from said apertures when and as the tray is returned to and in normal retracted position.

7. A combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser including a shell comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, chamber-forming partitions fixed within the confines of said walls, one of said partitions having an opening and said front wall having a mouth-opening, means comprising a tray engaged with the shell for reciprocation for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said opening and then supporting the same for gripping, a lighting element mounted shiftably on and movable relatively to the shell with the tray, said element being normally housed within the chamber provided by said partitions with an end portion thereof presented in said opening, and means for shifting said element laterally for lighting engagement with the respective cigarettes when supported by the tray for gripping.

8. A combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser including a shell comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, said front wall having a mouth-opening, means comprising a tray engaged with the shell for reciprocation for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said opening and then supporting the same for gripping, a yielding conducting strip mounted on and movable relatively to the shell with the tray, a lighting element carried by and electrically connected to said strip, a rigid member on the shell, and means on the strip for engaging the rigid member on movement of the tray for shifting said element laterally for lighting engagement with the respective cigarettes when supported by the tray for gripping.

9. A combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser including a shell comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls, said front wall having a mouth-opening, means comprising a tray engaged with the shell for reciprocation for dispensing the contained cigarett'es successively through said opening and then supporting the same for gripping a yielding conducting strip mounted on and movable relatively to the shell with the tray, a lighting element carried by and electrically connected to said strip, a rigid memebr on the shell, and a cone-shaped button on the strip for camwise engagement with the rigid member on movement of the tray for shifting said element laterally for lighting engagement with the respective cigarettes when supported by the tray for gripping.

10. A combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser including a shell comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls,

said front Wall having a mouth-opening, means comprising a tray engaged with the shell for'reciprocation for dispensing the contained cigarettes successively through said opening and then supporting the same for-gripping, a yielding conducting strip mounted at an end on and bodily movable relatively to the shell with the tray, the strip being adapted for inclusion in one side of an electric circuit, a lighting element carried by, and on the free end of, the strip and having electrical connection therewith, a rigid binding post on the shell for inclusion in the other side of said circuit, and a cone-shaped button mounted on, and insulated from, the strip and having electrical connection with the element, said button being adapted, on projecting movement of the tray, for camwise engagement with the post for both closing said circuit for energizing the element and shifting the element laterally for lighting engagement with the respective cigarettes 10 when supported by the tray for gripping.

RICHARD MAYER. 

